The Talented Actress Also Produces and Directs

In addition to portraying waitress Arlene Fowler on HBO’s True Blood, Carrie Preston is proud to be a producer and director of independent films. As an actress, Ms. Preston’s storyline on True Blood rarely intersects with those of other actors on the show. Despite that isolation, Ms. Preston believes Arlene has evolved slightly, over six seasons. Ms. Preston’s evolution over six years has been as a producer/director of two independent films (Girl Talk, That’s What She Said). She is currently directing a web series (Darwin), and passionately embraces the technology currently used to produce content.

As far as Ms. Preston is concerned, True Blood is a show about a bar. Her character, Arlene Fowler, is a waitress in Merlott’s Bar and is rarely seen elsewhere. A few of the other sets, not used in Arlene’s storyline, are on different stages and it’s sometimes years before Ms. Preston even stops by to see them. She finds it exciting to watch a complete episode of True Blood, because she gets to see what her colleagues were working on while she was serving drinks. Despite Arlene’s isolation, which lends itself to her representation of the narrow-minded and disenfranchised, Ms. Preston believes her character has managed to evolve slightly. She points out that vampire Jessica Hamby (Deborah Ann Woll) attended Arlene’s wedding, which is a huge deal for her character.

In addition to True Blood, Ms. Preston has recurring roles on other shows such as The Good Wife and Person of Interest. However, her true passion is for independent film, which has grown out of her love for unique films:

“I definitely geek out over indie filmmaking,” she laughs. “I have a production company and I’ve directed and produced two features and starred in a third. Right now, I’m directing a Web series [Darwin] some friends have written. We’ve got the first three episodes edited together, and now we’re trying to figure out where we’re going to put them. That whole world of indie content making and the equipment people use, the types of cameras and the new technology around, plus getting that content out to the viewer — all of that stuff is endlessly fascinating to me.”

Ms. Preston is excited about being a filmmaker in the 21st century because the technology, particularly the internet, has allowed viewers to access a variety of movies and to select what they’re looking for. The downside of this, according to Ms. Preston, is that viewers have grown to believe they deserve to receive content for free. Modern indie filmmakers haven’t yet learned how to monetize the content they’re producing. Additionally, the competition from big-budged studio television and movies is intense:

“We’re competing with TV and film and the mall movies that are so spectacular, that sometimes our audience is not forgiving.”

Still, Ms. Preston loves the technology used make movies, so much so that she refers to herself as the ‘tech geek’ in her marriage. Ms. Preston’s husband is actor Michael Emerson (Lost), and they both appreciate the irony of his portraying a computer genius on his show, Person of Interest. Between the two of them, Ms. Preston says that she handles all things electronics, and that Mr. Emerson tackles the shopping, cooking and decorating. Ms. Preston finds it ‘adorable’ when Mr. Emerson calls to ask her questions about Java.

It’s Not Only Alcide or HBO’s Series Showing Some Skin

Joe Manganiello plays werewolf, Alcide Hervaux on HBO’s True Blood. During a recent appearance on “The View”, Mr. Manganiello talked to the panel about nudity, sex, and the tools of the trade.

It’s well known that there is a lot of sex in True Blood. Mr. Manganiello insists it’s not as scandalous as it sounds. We’ve all heard the stories of actresses donning ‘the patch’, while actors are outfitted with ‘the sock’ (which a certain Scandinavian actor refuses to wear!). Mr. Manganiello jokes that he utilizes ‘the trunk’.

True Blood isn’t the only place Mr. Manganiello shows some skin. In his recent film, “Magic Mike”, he played male stripper, Big Dick Richie.

If you want to see Mr. Manganiello’s short hair cut, as well as a clip from “Magic Mike”, check out the video:

All Hell is Breaking Loose as True Blood Starts Its 6th Season

Rutina Wesley plays baby vampire, Tara Thornton on the HBO series, True Blood. At the end of Season 4, viewers were left wondering if Tara would be around at the start of Season 5. To Ms. Wesley’s surprise, and excitement, she was told she’d be made into vampire.

As Season 5 ended, Tara found herself at the center of the stunning events that took place at the New Orleans headquarters of the Vampire Authority. With the start of Season 6, all hell is breaking loose and Tara, Sookie (Anna Paquin), Eric (Alex Skarsgard), Jason (Ryan Kwanten) and others have to flee the scene and regroup.

“We all meet up and just get the hell out of Dodge, because ‘Billith’ is no joke this season. Seriously. We don’t know what to do, because before we can figure out what the next step is, we have to really understand what Bill is — in fact, whether Bill Compton still is even in this thing anymore. You’ll find that out eventually, whether Bill is just completely lost inside.”

Tara finding herself in peril is nothing new. Taking a shotgun blast to the face at the end of Season 4, Tara’s fate hung in the balance. Even when told her character would be ‘turned’, Ms. Wesley wasn’t sure that meant she still had a job for any length of time.

“What? That doesn’t mean that I’m dying, does it?’ Because normally when a character gets turned, they’ve got one more death and then that’s it; they’re gone.”

Playing a Vampire is Exciting, Especially Having Pam as a Maker

When Ms. Wesley learned that her tenure on True Blood would not be short lived, she grew excited about the possibilities for playing Tara as a newly-turned vampire. Even more exciting was having fan favorite Pam (Kristin Bauer-Van Straten) as Tara’s maker. Pam is notoriously over the top and possesses a sexy wardrobe.

“I asked, ‘Ooh, do I get to dress like her? Do I get to be sexy?’ Kristin is just awesome, and as long as I got to dress like Pam, I was OK with it,” Wesley says, “As an actor, something like this is the meat, the thing that keeps you inspired and challenged to do something new. I decided that, as a vampire, Tara would walk in a slightly different way, kind of like a panther, and her voice was going to be lower. There was a whole physical transformation that I tried to work in, but it’s still Tara.”

Not surprisingly, any downside to playing a vampire, according to Ms. Wesley, would be the night shoots. Vampires, being creatures of the night, shoot the majority of their scenes, at night.

Day or night, we’re all excited to still have Tara (and Rutina) right in the thick of things for Season 6!

Fans Miss Jesus but Can Still Enjoy Kevin Alejandro’s Work in Two Exciting Projects

We loved Kevin Alejandro as Jesus Velasquez in HBO’s True Blood. His chemistry with Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette Reynolds) was delightful to watch, and his death left us saddened. While Mr. Alejandro’s return to True Blood was short-lived, we’re lucky that we get to see him each week as Christian Arroyo in ‘The Golden Boy’. Hopefully, his Kickstarter campaign will eventually achieve its funding goal and the superhero series, ‘The Keepers’, will make it into production.

Mr. Alejandro misses his fellow cast members from True Blood. He says that he and Mr. Ellis developed a genuine affection and friendship that translated to the screen. He auditioned for the part of Jesus several times, as the show runners searched for an actor who worked well with Mr. Ellis. Mr. Alejandro says that he has great respect for all of the actors in the True Blood cast. They take their work seriously, but once the cameras stop rolling, they know how to have a good time.

When he made his brief return to True Blood, Mr. Alejandro had just completed production of the pilot for ‘The Golden Boy’. When asked what attracted him to the role of Christian Arroyo, his answer was that the character was unlike any he had played before. The challenge is in making Christian likeable. Mr. Alejandro says this character is the most different from him, and contains less ‘Kevin’ than any part he’s played before.

While Mr. Alejandro’s Kickstarter project, “The Keepers’, didn’t reach its $30,000.00 funding goal by April 14th, we can hope that the balance of the required funding will be found somehow. This superhero based show was created by friends of Mr. Alejandro. They created a two-minute trailer to generate interest, and continue to try to secure funding.

If the writers of True Blood can find a way to bring Jesus back, Mr. Alejandro would be happy to return, and we’d be equally thrilled to have him.

The Talk Show Appearance to Promote the Film “Disconnect” Touches on New York, College and Broken Hearts

On Friday, April 9th, Alex Skarsgård made his second appearance on the daytime talk show, ‘LIVE with Kelly & Michael’. Mr. Skarsgård plays 1,000 year old Viking vampire Eric Northman, on HBO’s True Blood. His appearance on the show was to promote his new film, ‘Disconnect’ (Festival Premier Of Film Starring True Blood’s Alex Skarsgård).

Mr. Skarsgård was introduced to an enthusiastic welcome. He greeted audience members with friendly palm slaps. Taking his seat next to Kelly, Michael commented that he was surprised at Mr. Skarsgård’s height. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder to determine which of them was indeed taller. While it almost appeared that Mr. Skarsgård was taller, it was most likely too close to call.

When asked if he owned a home in New York, Mr. Skarsgård answered that he lives in Stockholm and Los Angeles, since he is originally from Stockholm, and films True Blood in Los Angeles. He also explained that he had lived in New York for a brief time while attending college. Having met a woman just before leaving for New York, his stay was brief, as he dropped out of college and returned to Stockholm. Sadly, the relationship didn’t last long after his return home.

Teasers, but No Spoilers, for True Blood Season 6

Mr. Skarsgård explained a little about Eric, the character he plays on True Blood. When asked if he could tell anything about Season 6, he simply answered no. He did go on to elaborate that Eric will find himself facing some challenges because human have always been easy to kill. Now, they have found a way to fight back. What that way is, Mr. Skarsgård wouldn’t share.

In his film, ‘Disconnect’, Mr. Skarsgård plays Derek, a former Marine suffering from PTSD and drifting apart from his wife, played by Paula Patton (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol). After suffering identity theft, the couple find themselves drawn together as they track down whoever victimized them. A clip was played, featuring Mr. Skarsgård and Frank Grillo (Warrior), as they discuss what to do about the identity thieves.

‘Disconnect’ was in theaters in limited release as of April 12th.

You can watch Alex Skarsgård’s appearance on LIVE with Kelly & Michael here:

Charlaine Harris, author of the Southern Vampire series of books, sat down with Entertainment Weekly to discuss the end of Sookie’s story. ‘Dead Ever After’ is the 13th, and final book in the series that inspired HBO’s True Blood, and Ms. Harris says this is the conclusion she had always planned to write. Despite reader complaints or requests, Ms. Harris remained true to her own vision of the universe she created.

While Ms. Harris enjoyed the world she built around the town of Bon Temp, Louisiana, she feels that she has told all of Sookie’s story there is to tell. While she received much reader feedback, Ms. Harris knows her characters best and remained true to her vision. She is very excited to be moving on to new projects now.

“I’m sorry, this is the universe I’m the queen of. The readers can get pretty angry and tell me I’m writing the characters wrong. I hardly see how that could be possible. They’re my characters!”

Eric is a Fully Developed Character and Ms. Harris Loves How True Blood is Different from Her Novels

When asked about the sometimes angry reaction to how she has occasionally written the character of Eric, Ms. Harris responds that she believes she created a fully developed character, with both good and bad traits. Readers don’t always react well when one of Eric’s less attractive traits plays into the story she is telling.

Ms. Harris enjoys the True Blood series, especially in the way it differs from her books. She admires the writers of the show, and doesn’t believe she could ever successfully write a script for True Blood.

“But at the same time, True Blood gives you the same characters in a completely new environment.”

As far as future projects go, Ms. Harris has begun a brand new series. She has also written a graphic novel with Christopher Golden that is due to be released in December of this year. Currently, she is working on another anthology with Toni Kelner, and is editing a number of stories. As for what type of project Ms. Harris would like to work on if she had the chance, she would like to have one of her books made into a movie. Having learned how television works, that seems to be a logical next step.

For fans of the original books that inspired the series, True Blood, ‘Dead Ever After’ releases May 7th.

The recurring guest role of Dr. Overlark has been described as 50 years old, and a ruthless advisor to Arliss Howard’s Governor Creighton Burrell. Cast as Dr. Overlark, John Fleck is a long-time character actor who has appeared in a wide array of television guest roles. Mr. Fleck is one of only three actors to have appeared in every installment of the Star Trek television franchise (albeit as a different character in each).

We have one more character in place, but still no starting date for Season 6 to air. We’re left to speculate and anticipate, leaving us sure of only one thing: waiting sucks.

Premiering January 20th at the Sundance Film Festival, The East is a film starring Alexander Skarsgård (Eric Northman) of HBO’s series, True Blood. Mr. Skarsgård was joined by the film’s other cast members in discussing its central theme; is there morality in terrorism?

The East is an espionage thriller that focuses on an operative, Sara Moss, played by Brit Marling. Sara is investigating a group of eco-terrorists targeting big businesses causing harm to the public. The group is loosely led by Benji (Mr. Skarsgård), who Sara finds herself drawn to. Ellen Page rounds out the cast as a group member named Izzy.

Mr. Skarsgård explains the film’s theme:

“The question is, morally, where do you draw the line? How far are you willing to go for this cause? …it’s not preachy. It’s complicated. The way life is and reality is.”

While attending The Sundance Film Festival, Mr. Skarsgård also found time to meet with fans and sign some autographs outside of Village At The Lift.

Spoilery Details Can Be Found In New Character Descriptions

Season 6 of the HBO series True Blood has begun filming the ten episodes that will air this summer. While no start date has been announced, it’s rumored June is a safe bet. New show-runner Mark Hudis announced the production is casting two new characters as series regulars. It’s possible that dedicated fans can read between the lines of the descriptions to glean hints and spoilers of what’s to come in Season 6.

The first of the two characters lands on the evil side of things. Crooked politician, Creighton Burrell, has no love for vampires. Burrell’s wife abandoned him and their daughter when she ran off with a vampire. As the Governor of Louisiana, Burrell often lets his personal ambitions overpower his humanity.

The second of the new characters is ‘do-gooder’ Nicole Jannsen. Nicole is a key member of group of well-meaning activists. Nicole herself has no concerns for money and worries only about doing the right thing.

“When the show returns, we’ll be introduced to a cockeyed optimist named Nicole Jannsen who runs with a (no pun intended) pack of civil rights activists in the (pun intended) vein of the 1960s Freedom Riders. Unfortunately for the lot of ’em, their good intentions aren’t necessarily backed up by a whole lotta common sense.”

Since no casting decisions have been announced, who would be on your True Blood acting dream team? If you could cast anyone you wanted in both roles, who would it be?

Actress Janina Gavankar plays shapeshifter Luna Garza on HBO series True Blood. Ms. Gavankar has released a single and accompanying music video for her song, “Waiting for Godot”. A very creative artist, Ms. Gavankar plans to release a video for each track on her upcoming EP, and has consciously tried to break unstated rules of both music and video production.

Ms. Gavankar studied classical music and percussion as a child. Her EP is still in production with Randy Jackson’s label, Dream Merchant 21. She is unsure what the rest of the tracks will sound like, but has completed at least one other that she talks about in this way:

“very strange, all a cappella, and no moment is like the moment that came before it.”

While acknowledging it as a lofty goal, Ms. Gavankar intends to produce a music video for each track on her EP.

“But I really feel like it’s what I’m supposed to do. It’s the way that I think, it’s the way that I create. It’s all kind of one and the same. I don’t know how to do anything small-scale, much to the dismay of some of the people around me.”

Adding to her creative credentials, Ms. Gavankar produced the “Waiting for Godot” video herself. It was directed by her friend, Caitlin Pashalek. Several years ago, Ms. Pashalek also helmed the video for Ms. Gavankar’s cover of Kanye West’s “Love Lockdown”.

“One stake we set in the ground from the get-go with this was this it wasn’t going to be a ‘regular music video.’ I don’t give a sh** about following any sort of norms. I don’t really care if people think I’m hot. I really set out to make something beautiful that had a strong narrative.”

Ms. Gavankar believes that all people are complex and multi-sided. Music and videos are ways in which she expresses the duality of her own nature. While most of her True Blood cast mates know about her musical side, Ms. Gavankar says she has not outwardly advertised it, but she knows most are aware. She believes her music videos are evidence that, as an actress, she is able to bring true creativity to her performances.